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Friday, July 20, 2012

If my memory serves me correctly, it was around this time last year that Yahoo's! Charles Robinson released his ever controversial "Nevingate" article. In it, he claims that ex-Miami booster Nevin Shapiro provided both current and former student athletes with money, women, restaurant and strip club rendezvous; Shapiro even admitted to paying for an abortion for an athlete who is to remain unknown.

In his latest revival, Robinson claims that Sean "Pee Wee" Allen, a former Hurricanes equipment manager, as well as Shapiro's ex right-hand man, was encouraged by Golden and staff to recruit multiple Miami-area football recruits.

So what is the big deal you may ask? According to Robinson, Golden was aware of Allen's "improper"involvement with recruiting such players. Robinson insists that Allen's latest issues are twofold. That is, "his having provided improper benefits to players dating back to early in
his career at Miami; and his continued improper contact with Miami
recruits, which allegedly lasted through his final days working for the
Hurricanes in the summer of 2011."

Now according to the NCAA, "anyone who improperly "assisted in providing benefits to enrolled
student-athletes or their families" triggers the association's booster
clause under bylaw 13.02.14. Allen said in federal testimony in
connection with Shapiro's bankruptcy case that he provided improper
benefits to players as far back as the mid-2000s. The NCAA's rules also
state that equipment managers such as Allen cannot engage in recruiting
calls or assist in off-campus recruiting unless they are designated and
counted as an assistant coach under Bylaw 11.7."

When Golden was initially hired as Randy Shannon's replacement, he admitted that he had no understanding of Nevin Shapiro and co. However, Robinson insists that Golden and staff vowed to clean up any mess left by Shapiro, not partake in it.

Yet, Allen claims to have engaged in recruiting infractions almost as soon as Golden took the helm. According to Robinson, Allen also admitted to engaging in recruitment with former coach Aubrey Hill and current linebackers coach Michael Barrow.

A former recruit stated that Allen showed him and former commit A.J. Leggett around Miami's facilities (again, I say facilities, not a night on the town) at the request of Barrow.

Yahoo! then goes into length about reviewing Allen's phone records in which former UM commit Teddy Bridgewater's number was present, along with FSU commit Devonta Freeman's, current UM DB Thomas Finnie, WR Herb Waters, RB Duke Johnson, and former commit's Eli Rodgers, Amari Cooper, and James Burgess.

Blah blah blah. Robinson also mentions Allen and a brief stint in a gentleman's club with DE Anthony Chickillo, chauffeuring Teddy Bridgewater around Miami, and providing recruits with improper benefits.

Sounds to me like an everyday occurrence within the SEC. All jokes aside, Charles Robinson must have a serious vendetta against the University of Miami. I have said this before and again I will reiterate: this occurs at major universities throughout the country. If I were to to an in depth investigation, against say, Notre Dame--I guarantee you that I could find something equivalent in value to the Yahoo! article. It wouldn't take that much digging to find a university associate who gives a kid a ride home; or sends a recruit a text message. This stuff is not that unfathomable.

Are we really to believe that Golden could be that stupid? To allow Shapiro's ex right-hand man to be actively involved in recruiting? If this is the case, then 1) Coach Golden should be let go immediately. And 2) Michael Barrow needs to kick rocks ASAP.

Many blame Randy Shannon for Miami's current mess. If Shannon hadn't been so blind, he would have prevented Shapiro from stepping foot on Miami's campus. Perhaps this is accurate.